By Chloe Viyannalage
Competition. It’s everywhere, from sports games to crazy bets with friends. Recently, however, there has been an increased level of competition in school systems. As college admissions rates continue to decline, students feel that they have to work harder and do more in order to be accepted. This increased workload puts immense pressure on high school students, and is causing the rapid decline of teenage mental health. The mental health epidemic in teens is a widespread issue, and competition culture in schools is its main cause.
When there is competition in schools, students feel the need to overload their schedule with excess courses, extra-curriculars, and volunteering activities. Teenagers dump course over course onto themselves in order to get into a good college, or at least, a better college than their peers. This level of work can cause extreme stress. According to the American Psychological Association, nearly one in three teenagers said that stress drove them to sadness or depression– and their single biggest source was school.
Researchers have also found that this level of coursework is done by students as young as middle schoolers. Dr. Alvin Rosefeld states, “‘Children are under pressure to achieve, to be competitive. I know sixth-graders who are already working on their resumes so they’ll have an edge when they apply for college’.” Students are being pushed so hard that their workload is very large from a very young age, which rapidly declines their mental well being throughout their childhood. Lawrence Rosen, a pediatrician, points out that children are starting to get headaches and migraines from age five due to large stress levels, a phenomenon which has not been seen before. Children should be able to enjoy their childhood experiences, not worrying about their schoolwork. Regardless of their age, students should not be suffering from this much stress from their schoolwork and athletics.
Another issue with competition is that it can lower someone’s self esteem. Throughout the school, students are always comparing themselves to each other, whether it be grades or athletics. I have even compared my test scores and placements with my friends. This constant comparison to their peers can make teenagers feel less about themselves, and make them feel like they are just not good enough. An anonymous high school student said, “‘The mentality about the competitive nature in school makes me, as a high school student, feel extremely insecure about skills I know I excel at.’” Low self esteem can lead to depression and anxiety, and it can make a student feel underappreciated in a place of growth and learning.
As the workload for a student grows ever larger, teenagers often forget to prioritize their well-being. Most teenagers, including myself, do not get the proper 8 hours of sleep per night, which can detrimentally affect their physical health and performance. Students are unable to focus in class, and often feel much more stressed out when left without proper sleep. Several months like this can lead to extreme tiredness and can negatively affect performance in school. Since students are still developing, it is more important than ever that the body is being taken care of. If competition levels decreased, then students would have less work on their plate and more opportunities to work on their own health.
With college acceptance rates dropping rapidly, and the optionality of SAT/ACT scores, students are putting more focus on their extracurricular activities than ever in order to make it into their top college. However, a lot of the extra-curriculars that students are doing are not for their own enjoyment. Instead of doing the activities to learn something new, students are doing them to look good on their college applications. The Washington Post points out that, “Even activities that once were stress-reducers, like playing a musical instrument or a sport, have become a means to an end, that end being a spot at one of the country’s most competitive colleges and then on to a prestigious, high-paying career.” The lack of activities that students enjoy combined with their overbearing workload can weigh on students, and make them feel like they have no free time and increase stress levels.
Proponents of competition in schools may argue that competition can motivate students to work harder and perform better in class. While it is true that students tend to work harder when competition is involved, these proponents fail to realize that too much competition can also ruin relationships between teenagers and their friends. The Washington Post indicates, “In the pressurized ecosystem of high-achieving schools, driven students must out-compete each other for a few coveted spots, whether it’s a seat in AP calculus or a spot on the debate team.” This excessive competition can lead to “excessive peer envy and cheating,” destroying friendships between students, which are needed in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The absence of these friendships only hurts students, and far outweighs the potential benefits of competition in schools.
You might be wondering what can be done, considering that competition doesn’t just go away. Even though we are not able to get rid of competition, there are still ways to reduce it in order to feel more mentally and physically well.
Firstly, students should choose extra-curriculars that they enjoy doing, instead of focusing on activities that would look good on a college application. This allows students to have activities in their life that are fun and can reduce stress. Another way of improving mental health is to prioritize a sleep schedule. Whether it be by dropping a class or making a planner in order to finish homework on time, being able to sleep properly has a tremendous effect on a student’s mental health and well being, and can also help increase grades and concentration.
Lastly, students should focus on getting into the right college, and not the “best” college. Even though some colleges may seem more prestigious and impressive than others, it is important to make a decision based on interests instead of popularity, which can lead to a better and more satisfying college experience. By doing these things, we can hope to further reduce competition in schools and prevent the further decline of teenage mental health in the country.
